One of the U.S. president's official planes and a supersonic fighter jet zoomed past the Lower Manhattan skyline in a flash just as the work day was beginning April 27. Within minutes, startled financial workers streamed out of their offices, fearing a nightmarish replay of Sept. 11.

An image taken by a cell-phone camera shows the primary presidential aircraft, known as Air Force One when the U.S. president is aboard, flying low over New York harbor followed by an F-16 fighter plane April 27. AP PHOTO

For a half-hour, the Boeing 747, called Air Force One when used by the president, and an F-16 jet circled the Statue of Liberty and the Lower Manhattan skyline near the World Trade Center site. Offices evacuated. Dispatchers were inundated with calls. Witnesses thought the planes were flying dangerously low.

But the flyover was a photo op, apparently one of a series of flights to get pictures of the president's airliner in front of national landmarks.

It was carried out by the Defense Department with little warning, infuriating New York officials and putting the White House on the defense. Even Mayor Michael Bloomberg didn't know about it and he later called it "insensitive" to fly so near the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The director of the White House military office, Louis Caldera, took the blame a few hours later: "Last week, I approved a mission over New York. I take responsibility for that decision. While federal authorities took the proper steps to notify state and local authorities in New York and New Jersey, it's clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused."

Still, federal officials provided few details and wouldn't address why someone thought it was a wise decision to send two jets into New York City, all for a few photos with the Statue of Liberty as a backdrop.